Tag: Bullies

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world, the unreasonable one tries to adapt the world to himself. All progress depends on the unreasonable man” -George Bernard Shaw

The world has a need for consistency. If someone says something but does another, we call them: unreliable, hypocritical, flaky, wishy-washy. “Change the rules, but learn them first”, James Altucher.

One has a moral responsibility to obey just laws and conversely to disobey unjust ones. St. Augustine says an unjust law is no law at all. An unjust law is one that a powerful group compels another group to obey but does not make binding on itself. If you choose to break an unjust law, do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty… this is expressing the highest respect for the law.

“Ask for forgiveness, not permission. People will be fast to stop you before you start, but hesitant if you are moving”.

I am ashamed at how many times I’ve sat silently and seen or heard things being said, done, etc that I knew deep down were not right. I promise to do better. So, rather than stating my own approach, here is a barrage of quotes by a number of folks (an overwhelming number by Martin Luther King Jr. who I’d say is the ultimate model of what to do) that say how I feel…

“Bullies prey on the weak, but… there is always a small kid who fights like hell (thrashing and swinging)…he may not win but the bully will go elsewhere. Be that kid” – Tim Ferriss

This may sound like a stupid way to introduce this, but this quote from Cinderella’s mom made me think: “have courage and be kind”… why is it so easy to be mean-spirited and yet it takes more effort to be kind to each other? For my kids I place one hand on their heads and one on their heart…”live as your heart and head lead you”… one may lead you astray, but thinking with both will never misguide you…

Seeking Change, Truth…
Gandhi says, “you must be the change you wish to see in the world”…”first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win”. “Truth goes through three steps: first it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed, then finally it is accepted as self-evident” -Arthur Schopenhauer

Being bold privately is nice, but for change to happen it must be public and in the light of day…
These words from Martin Luther King Jr. explain much,” we are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive. We bring it out in the open where it can be dealt with”…” we are here to say to the white man that we will longer let them use their clubs on us in dark corners. We are going to make them do it in the glaring light of television”…“the Negro’s great stumbling block is not the White Citizen’s Council or the KKK, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to order than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension, who consistently advises the Negro to wait for a more convenient season”.

Realize that it may be far easier to confront your enemies than your friends…
”It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but even more to stand up to your friends” -JK Rowling. “The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and controversy”…” in the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends” -MLK

When you pick sides, good versus evil must be glaringly apparent…
”People will choose good over evil, but the choice must be undeniably clear. Good must stand apart… untainted, unblemished”…” meet physical force with soul force”…” we shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering. But be assured that we will wear you down by our capacity to suffer” -MLK

Sometimes justice seems blurry and there can be a fine line between justice and injustice, but look in your heart and think it through in your own head…
”One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws… an unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself”…” one who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty”…” privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily. Individuals may give up their unjust posture, but groups tend to be more immoral than individuals” -MLK

Before you ever start pushing for change, decide how far you’re willing to go… is anything worth Death?…
“If a man hasn’t discovered something he will die for, he is not fit to live”…” we had an understanding in our movement that if you let people stop you from doing something through death, it only encourages them to kill you whenever they wanted you to stop doing something” – MLK, “I will not fight, but I will not comply. I am not willing to kill, but I am willing to die” -MLK on nonviolence

My quote: “Please don’t mistake my easy-going nature for weakness… I have resolve like a M—–F—–! I am a force to be reckoned with”